Travels With Palin

Full Circle: Vietnam/Philippines (4x4)

: 28, 1997

Michael arrives in Vietnam at a time when it is reintroducing itself to the global stage, via a process called Đổi mới ("new thinking"). He also observes a local cricket match in the capital of Hanoi, although the BBC is not allowed to film because due to the fact it took place on land owned by the Vietnamese military, it was deemed a security risk. Michael also observes the Hanoi Hilton, an infamous prison for Americans during the Vietnam War. Catching a train going south to Saigon, he makes a stop in Huế and the Forbidden Purple City, an old imperial palace. In Da Nang, Michael relaxes at China Beach and meets up with a 16-year-old who shows him what is known as the Gateway to Heaven. In Saigon, he tours the Củ Chi tunnels which the Vietnamese military used during all the conflicts within their borders. In nearby Tay Ninh, he visits a Caodaist cathedral. Then he takes a ferry down to the end of the Mekong River. In the Philippines, Michael notices how congested traffic is in the capital of Manila. He then chats with some women who are going abroad to work in order to support their families. Michael then takes the opportunity to observe the Banaue Rice Terraces. However, when he gets there, a dense fog prevents him from seeing the terraces, causing frustrated and disbelieving laughter. In Baguio, he witnesses two unique procedures (assisting in one of them) known as "psychic surgery". In the southern part of the country, Michael gets some scuba diving lessons and even has a meal underwater. In Zamboanga, he attends a cockfight and also judges the Miss La Bella Pacifica beauty pageant. Afterwards, he drives a jeepney down the streets of the city, waiting for a ferry to take him to Borneo.